Vitamins in winter

Ascorbic acid

The benefits of ascorbic acid are indisputable. It increases antibacterial protection, slows the ageing process, improves liver function and the production of many  enzymes.

Grapefruit. Squeeze yourself some fresh juice every morning. Squeeze half a grapefruit and dilute it with some water to avoid irritating your stomach lining. Drink the juice/water mixture before eating breakfast. It’s a great morning wake-up for your immune system. 

Lemons It is better not to add lemon to hot tea as the ascorbic acid in the lemon will become inactive. Instead, drink the juice diluted in water. You can also prepare lemon rind with sugar. Remove the outer peel, cut the peel into small pieces and sweeten it as desired. Eat a teaspoon of the sugared peel after your meal. Tip: don’t have lemon on an empty stomach. 

Rosehip tea.  Make it yourself at home: for one cup, take a handful of dried berries and pour boiling water over them. You can also buy a prepared syrup.

Sauerkraut. Pickled cabbage contains more vitamin C than oranges.

Iron

Iron deficiency causes tiredness,  lethargy and exhaustion. It can also lead to anaemia, which has a number of associated symptoms, from chronic colds to memory impairment. 

Pomegranate. Add the juice of half a pomegranate to your usual diet. It is best drunk in the morning before breakfast. 

Walnuts. Every evening you should eat a few walnuts with honey. 

Caviar, seafood. Pamper yourself with these delicacies from time to time.

Meat. A quickly fried veal or beef steak is best (pork contains less iron). In this case, don’t eat it with carbohydrates (pasta, potatoes) as they impede the absorption of iron. Eggs and milk have the same property. 

Magnesium

If you suffer from leg cramps at night, numbs hands or lots of stress, then you need to look at your magnesium intake.  

Spinach. The champion of vegetables when it comes to magnesium content.

Cereals and pulses. Eat nuts, seeds, sunflower seeds, lentils and beans. Pulses are best eaten in warm dishes. In their raw state they contain large fibres than can cause indigestion. Boil lentils in water for an hour to destroy these fibres. 

Microalgae/spirulina. The red-brown spirulina sold in pharmacies is an excellent source of magnesium.

Microelements

Dried fruits. Your daily diet should always include a portion of dried apricots, walnuts, pistachios, figs and honey. 

Carrot salad. Make a salad of grated carrots with lemon juice, raisins and honey. Alternatively you can use raw beetroot with walnuts and plums. The vegetables and dried fruits contain magnesium, potassium, manganese and carotene, cobalt and chromium.

Honey. It is good for your health to have a teaspoon of honey before you go to bed. Don’t just swallow it, but let it dissolve in your mouth. That will strengthen your immune system, prevent sore throats and have a calming effect. 

Bee products. To give your body microelements, in particular iron, molybdenum, cobalt, zinc, you can make drinks containing beeswax